Tamping device



Oct. 25, 1966 B. BEIERLEIN ETAL TAMPING DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed OOt. 3, 1963 FIGA.

llllI INVENToRs Bernhard Beierlein 8 Ullrich Beierlein F 16.2.

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OC- 25, 1966 B. BEIERLEIN ETAL 3,280,712

TAMPING DEVI CE Filed Oct, 3. 1963 3 Shi-JelS-SheefI 2 INVENT ORS Bernhard Beierlein 8 Ullrich Beierlein ATTORNEYS OC- 25, 1966 B. Bx-:IERLEIN ETAL 3,280,712

TAMPING DEVICE Filed Oct. 5, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 l I 2 I 4|) l 203 I A 30') T I B00/ mi/K 4o M l :s V l 11| lh- Alimb Nj N Fl s. 4. 4 f/ /lao 2 J* l INVENTORS '0/3 Bernhard Beier|e in& FIG 5. Ullrich Beierleln wmf@ United States Patent O 3,280,712 TAMPING DEVICE Bernhard Beierlein and Ullrich Beierlein, both of Bergische Landstrasse 309, Dusseldorf-Gerresheim, Ger- The present invention relates to a tamping roller unit.

More particularly, the present invention relates to a vibratory tamping device incorporating a plurality of rollers as well as means for producing -vibratory pulses.

Conventional tamping roller units incorporating a plurality of roller bodies-which roller bodies individually will for the sake of simplicity hereinafter be referred to Simply as rollers-are provided with a corresponding number of vibrators each associated with a respective roller. In order to obtain good tamping action from such roller units, the individual vibrators have to be interconnected with a suitable transmission so as to make certain that all of the vibrators will operate in synchronism with each other.

In one known type of roller unit, a contra-rotating vibrator, incorporating two unbalances, is arranged between the front and rear rollers, which vibrators, at each revolution of the two unbalances, imparts a downwardly directed pulse to both rollers simultaneously. Experience has shown that the efficiency of this type of roller -unit is relatively low.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a roller tamping unit which overcomes the above drawbacks, which unit is of simple construction, and which operates more eliiciently than heretofore known units.

With these objects in view, the present invention resides in an arrangement in which the unbalance-type vibrator, which can either be a contra-rotating vibrator producing directional vibrations or a single unbalance vibrator pro` ducing non-directional vibrations, forms a rigid unit with the rollers, the arrangement being such that, in the course of a revolution of 360, the two rollers which are arranged one behind the other are successively given `one downwardly directed pulse each.

By virtue of the above arrangement, two tamping pulses are applied to the two rollers, respectively, during eac-h revolution of the unbalance, and this has been found to produce a substantially higher tamping effect than is obtained with conventional roller units. Moreover, this result can be achieved with substantially simpler construction, because the roller unit according to the present invention does not require any synchronizing transmission between separate vibrators associated with the respective rollers, nor does it require any hollow bearings such as are needed in roller units in which the unbalances are rotatably mounted in the rollers, all of which 1contributes to producing a simpler mechanical structure. Furthermore, the roller unit according to the present invention can be built lighter than prior art roller units designed to produce the same tamping action.

Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic elevational view of a tamping roller unit according to the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the unit shown in FIG- URE 1.

FIGURE 2a is a schematic perspective view of a tamping roller according to the present invention.

FIGURE 3 is a schematic elevational view of a modi- 3,280,7l2 Patented Oct. 25, 1966 ICC lied embodiment of a tamping roller according to the present invention.

FIGURE 3a is a fragmentary schematic elevational view showing a modification of the embodiment of FIG- URE 3.

FIGURE 4 is a schematic elevational view of still another modified embodiment of a tamping roller according to the present invention.

FIGURE 5 is a schematic elevational view of yet another modified embodiment of a tamping roller unit according to the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings and to FIGURES 1 and 2 thereof in particular, the same show a tamping roller unit comprising two generally triangular frames, preferably of isosceles configuration, each having a base member 3 and two upwardly extending arm members 31 and 32. The two triangular frames are arranged at the sides of the unit and are rmly connected to each other by means of suitable transverse members to form therewith a single rigid frame Iwork. The fra-mes carry two bearings 10 and two ybearings 20 arranged near the ends of the base members 3, which bearings support the rollers 1 and 2, respectively. Arranged at the apexes of the two triangular frames are two further bearings 40 which rotatably mount the vibrator 4. In this way, the rollers 1 and 2 and the unbalance 4 are combined to form a single rigid structural entity, in which the vibrator is located above the two rollers, more particularly, above the midpoint of a line joining the rollers 1 and 2, or more accurately, the midpoint of a line joining the axes about which the rollers rotate.

FIGURE 2a shows the two side frames, here illustrated as being in the form of side plates 33 and 34, as being connected to each other by means of a transverse member 35.

vWhile the triangular configuration of the side frames is particularly -well adapted for providing a strong and mechanically rigid frame work, the present invention is not limited to the provision of such a frame work, as will become apparent from a consideration of the modifications described below in connection with FIGURES 3 to 5.

The frame work carries a plate 7 which is connected to the frame work by means of elastic couplings 8. The plate 7 supports a driving means incorporating a motor 5 and a transmission 6, which motor and transmission serve as a load on the plate. Also connected to the plate 7 is a handle 9 by means of which the tamper unit can be steered. It will thus be seen that the structure whose weight acts on the entity constituted by the frame work, the rollers 1, 2, and the unbalance 4 is itself a rigid structural entity which is resiliently mounted on the frame work.

For reasons of stability, the motor 5, the transmission 6, and the point at which the handle 9 is attached to the plate 7 are so arranged with respect to each other and to the rollers 1 and 2 that the rollers 1 and 2 are statically evenly loaded.

The vibrator 4 is in the form of an unbalance element which generates non-directional oscillations. The motor 5, which is constituted by a conventional internal com` bustion engine, eg., a diesel motor, has a crank shaft 51 which carries a power take-olf in the form of a pulley 51a, the latter being power-transmittingly connected to a further pulley 4a carried by the shaft 4b of unbalance 4 via a transmission belt or chain 510, so that the unbalance 4 is made to rotate in any desired direction.

The rollers 1 and 2 are driven by the output 6a of the transmission 6; in the illustrated embodiment, a transmission belt or chain 610 connects the output pulley 6a With a drive pulley 2a of roller 2, there being a further transmission belt or chain 611 interconnecting pulleys 2b and 1a carried by rollers 2 and 1, respectively.' The transmission 6 itself is driven, via a ktransmission belt or chain 511, by a suitable power take-off, such as a pulley 50a, provided on the cam shaft 50 of the motor 5. The advantage of such an arrangement is that the use of the cam shaft, which is conventionally so geared to the crank shaft as to rotate at a lower speed, offers a convenient way of providing a relatively high-speed rotation for the unbalance 4 and at the same time a relatively slow-speed rotation for the rollers 1 and 2. This makes it possible to simplify the over-all construction of the driving means for the tamping unit. Furthermore, experience has shown that such an arrangement is cheaper and is less susceptible to break-down. l

As `best shown in FIGURE 2, the power take-off for crank shaft 51 and the power take-off for the cam shaft 50 are arran-ged on opposite sides of the unit, so that the drive for the unbalance 4 and the drive for the rollers 1 and 2 lie on opposite sides of the unit.

Suitable control means, such as a throttle and clutches, will be provided to enable the operator to control the operation of the motor and of the unbalance 4 and the rollers 1, 2. These control means per se are conventional and therefore are not illustrated.

The tamping roller unit according to the present invention operates as follows:

The unbalance 4 is rotated via the transmission S10. During the rst half (180) of its rotation out of the illustrated position, the entire unbalance force is brought to bear on roller 2, so that the Same is pressed downwardly against the surface on which the unit stands. Inasmuch as the two rollers 1 andf2 form a rigid structural entity together with the unbalance 4, ythefroller 1 is not acted on by the unbalance and may, in fact, be raised slightly off the ground.

During the next half' of the rotationof the unbalance 4 the roller 2 is relieved whereas the full effect of the unbalance is brought to bear on roller 1. The roller 2 may thus be raised slightly off the ground.

The above-described double loading process repeats itself with each revolution of the unbalance. The rollers and the vibrator, which form the rigid entity as described above and wherein the rotary vibrator is located at an end of a rocker arm which is spaced from the axes of the front and rear rollers, thus act as a rocker which rocks back. and forth in the rhythm of the frequency of the vibrations, the vibratory jars acting alternately on the two rollers 1 and 2. In this way, an intensive tamping action is obtained with very simple means.

While the tamping roller unit of FIGURES 1 and 2 incorporates means for driving the rollers 1 and 2, it is not essential, for purposes of the present invention, that the rollers 1 and 2 be driven. Instead, the power necessary for locomotion of the unit may be derived from the operator.

Nor is the present invention limited to the use of a particular type of vibrator. While a single, rigidly mount-- ed unbalance vibrator producing non-'directional oscillations can be relied on to produce optimal results, other types of vibrators, namely, vibrators producing directional oscillations, can be used. Such vibrators may be of the pendular or contra-rotating type. Also, the position of the vibrator means relative to the rollers can be varied to a certain extent, and while it has been found to be most simple, expedient and practical to arrange a single vibrator above the rollers, particularly above the midpoint of a line joining the rollers, as shown in FIGURES l and 2, the position of the vibrator means, and the type of vibrator means, may be different from that which is described above.

FIGURE 3 shows a modified arrangement of the prent invention in which thev frame work joining the rollers 1,2, and the unbalance 4 into a single rigid structural entity has an inverted T configuration andcomprises horizontal base members 103 and vertical members 130 (the members of only one inverted T frame being shown in 4. FIGURE 3). The vertical member 13G-of each frame extends from the middle of the respective base member 103 so that the arrangement is again suc-h that the bearings 40 for the unbalance 4 are located above the mid-` point of the line joining the axes of the rollers 1 and 2.

In the modified embodiment shown in FIGURE 3a, the vertical frame members carry a counter-rotating double unbalance 400. It will lbe noted that the axes of the two unbalance components are arranged one above Ethe other, this being the only possible arrangement which allows the use of such a double unbalance to be located above the rollers.

In the embodiment of FIGURE 4, the vibrator is located in alignment with the line joining the two rollers and outside of the space bounded by the vertical planes n and b passing, respectively, through the leading peripheral portion of front roller 1 and the trailing peripheral portion of the rear roller'2. Here, the horizontal frame members 203 are provided with extensions 300 which carry the two unbalance components 400 of a contrarotating vibrator, these two components being arranged alongside of each other. Also shown is a further frame extension 301 carrying a counter balance weight 41. The counter-rotating vibrator 400 and the counter balance weight 41 are so arranged that the dynamic center of gravity is located approximately in the middle between the two rollers 1 and 2. Were there no counter balance weight 41, the lever arm of lframe extension 300 would have to be of corresponding length.

While the embodiment of FIGURE 4 shows the useof a counter-rotating vibrator which produces directional oscillations, the same-may be replaced by a simple rotating unbalance, a pendular vibrator, a magnetic vibrator, or.

the like.

In the embodiment of FIGURES, the tamping roller unit is provided with four rollers, namely, a pair of front rollers 1 and a pair of rear rollers 2, the axis of the vibrator 4 being, as before, located above the midpoint of the set of rollers. The operation of the unit of FIG- URE 5 is identical to that of the embodiment ofv FIG- URES 1 and 2, the pairs of rollers 1 and 2 being alternately subjected to a force and relieved from the action of the force.

The embodiment of FIGURE 5 may be modified to incorporate ya triangular frame, substantially as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2.

-It will be'understood that the above description of the present invention is'susceptible to various modifications, changes, and adaptations, and the same are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the appended claims.

What-is claimed is:

1. A tamping rolle-r unit comprising, in combination:

(a) at least one front roller;

(b) v at least one rear roller;

(c) a rigid frame member mounting said rollers in spaced parallel relationship, said frame member having upwardly directed extensions whose tops are within the space bounded by vertical planes passing, respectively, through the axes of said rollers;

(d) -a rotary vibrator spaced above said rollers and mounted at the tops of said extensions on an axis parallel to the axes of said rollers for oscillating said frame member and conveying alternate downward impulses to said rollers;

(e) driving means for driving said rotary vibrator;

(f) support means for `said driving means and forming therewith a rigid structural entity; and

(g) resilient means for mounting said rigid structural entity between said extensions of said frame member.

2. A unit as. defined in claim 1 wherein said rotary vibrator is arranged above the midpoint of a line joining the axes about which said rollers rotate.

3. A unit as defined in claim 1 .wherein said frame member comprises two triangular lateral frames each having a base member and two upwardly directed arm members, as well as transverse means rigidly joining said frames to form therewith a single rigid frame work, said rollers being rotatably mounted in bearing means carried near the Iends of said base members and said rotary vibrator being rotatably mounted in further bearing means carried at the apexes of said triangular frames.

4. A unit as dened in claim 3 wherein said triangular frames a-re of isosceles configuration.

5. A unit as defined in claim 1 wherein said frame member comprises two inverted T frames each having a horizontal -base member and an upwardly directed vertical member extending from the middle of the respective base member, as well as transverse means rigidly joining said frames to form therewith a single rigid frame work, said rollers being rotatably mounted in bearing means carried near the ends of said base members and said rotary vibrator being rotatably mounted in furthe-r bearing means carried at the upper ends of said vertical members.

6. A unit as dened in claim 1 wherein said driving means incorporate a motor and a transmission and wherein said support means comprise plate means carrying in addition to said motor and said transmission, a handle; said motor, said transmission and the point at which said handle is attached to said plate means being so arranged with respect to each other and to said rollers that said rollers are statically evenly balanced.

7. A tamping roller unit comprising, in combination:

(a) -at least one front roller;

(b) at least one rear roller;

(c) a frame member mounting said rollers in spaced parallel relationship, said frame member having forward and rearward extensions;

(d) a weight on one of said extensions; and

(e) rotary vibrating means on the other of said extensions, the axis of said vibrating means being parallel to and in the same plane as the axes of said rollers, said vibrating means being directional and exerting alternate upward and `downward impulses to the forward end of said frame member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,532,843 4/1925 Stubbs 94-50 1,650,574 11/ 1927 Stubbs 94-48 2,039,078 4/ 1936 Hertwig 94-48 2,133,862 '10/ 1938 Kerns 94-50 3,000,278 9/'1961 Kaltenegger 94-50 FOREIGN PATENTS 889,747 2/ 1962 Great Britain.

JACOB L. NACKENOFF, Primary Examiner. 

1. A TAMPING ROLLER UNIT COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: (A) AT LEAST ONE FRONT ROLER; (B) AT LEAST ONE REAR ROLLER; (C) A RIGID FRAME MEMBER MOUNTING SAID ROLLERS IN SPACED PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP, SAID FRAME MEMBER HAVING UPWARDLY DIRECTED EXTENSIONS WHOSE TOPS ARE WITHIN THE SPACE BOUNDED BY VERTICAL PLANES PASSING, RESPECTIVELY, THROUGH THE AXES OF SAID ROLLERS; 